page_title: Castle of Sortelha
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Castle of Sortelha / History
caption_attribution_description: Sortelha_Porta_da_Vila
context_page_description: The Castle of Sortelha Portuguese: Castelo de Sortelha is a castle in the civil parish of Sortelha in the municipality of Sabugal in the Portuguese Centro region, classified as a National Monument.
context_section_description: The site was probably the location of a pre-existing castro that was Romanized during the Roman epoch.  It is considered the oldest constructed Romanesque castle located in the Beira Interior region. The rectangular tower reveals a typology typical of the Roman military architecture, due to its modest dimensions, placement in the center of the courtyard and support by the granite massif. Eighty years later, the first Romanesque Portuguese castles were constructed by the Templars who appropriated the older fortifications that were located near the borders with the Kingdom of León and disputed lands in the Côa Valley.
  After a period of abandon, it was re-populated sometime in the 12th century, during the reign of King Sancho. During the reign of his successor (Sancho II), following the model of Évora the settlement was conceded a Foral and a formal castle was built in 1228. It is likely that the walls were erected after the construction of the keep, around the 14th century during the sequence of the reforms initiated by King D. Denis (or later by King D. Fernando, during his battles with the Kingdom of Castille). The fact that the town was issued a new foral (under the reign of King D. Sancho II) and received a fair charter (under King D. Denis) proves the regional importance of the locality.
  In the 15th century, the alcalde of the castle was Manuel Sardinha, who was succeeded by Pêro Zuzarte. By 1422, there was a reference to approximately 2130 inhabitants living on the hilltop, from the Rol dos Besteiros. But, by the end of that century (1496), the Inquirição identified less than 144 residents on the site. The sites importance was reversed in 1510, with the renovation of the foral by King D. Manuel, who initiated a campaign of public works at the castle, that included the placement of a Manueline emblem over the main gate. In 1522, the alcadery was given to Garcia Zuzarte, then D. Manuel's custodian.
  In 1527, the town was elevated to seat of royal county under the administration of King D. John III, headed by Luís da Silveira, his custodian. The Numeramento (royal census) indicated 383 habitantes. The site's importance continued decline, with its military structures repurposed for other military roles and its northwest gate closed-off and the battlements were reconstructed.
  Starting in 1940, the DGEMN began work to upgrade and maintain the castle and its walls; upgrades to the site included reinforcing the merlons and supporting the toweres and corner walls with reinforced concrete, in addition to re-construction and consolidation of the doorways. As part of the nationalist efforts, between 1942 and 1945, repairs continued with the consolidation of the walls, repair of pavement stone in the cistern, and repairs to the woodframe and doors. These repairs continued in 1951 and 1952, and then later in 1984. As part of the 2000-2001 program to recuperate historic villages, then rombos were reconstructed and pavement along the battlements along the castle perimeter were repaired.
caption: Main gate and the religious nicho to the right
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